CSUMB student sings national anthem for 49ers home opener

SEASIDE &GT;&GT; Melissa Bowling had more than just 15 minutes of fame Sunday.

The CSU Monterey Bay senior sang the "Star Spangled Banner" at the opening of the San Francisco 49ers' new Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

Bowling, who grew up in Santa Clara, belted out the national anthem on the 50-yard line in the 68,500-seat arena. Her performance was broadcast on the stadium's Jumbotron screen and is now posted on YouTube.

"It was unforgettable and so surreal," she said of the experience. "I don't think I really let it hit me until it was over and then I was just shaking."

The crowd's reaction to her performance was "electrifying," Bowling said. "That crowd ? it was awesome."

When she finished singing, one of the 49ers' coaches shook her hand and many people in the stands congratulated her. One of them was her father, Rupert Bowling, of Santa Clara, who was also celebrating his birthday.

"The next day he said it was the best birthday ever," the 23-year-old health and human services major said.

Also in the crowd was Bowling's boyfriend, Nick Gialdini, who works for the San Jose Sharks and who was instrumental in getting Bowling to sing the national anthem at Sharks home games.

Bowling's mother, Patti, had made arrangements to visit relatives in the East before Bowling learned she had been chosen to sing at the Levi's Stadium football opener and was not able to attend.

How Bowling became the stadium's first national anthem singer last Sunday developed from a friendship with a 49ers cheerleader.

Bowling, who is a former Miss Santa Clara winner, met Jessa Carmack while both were competing in Miss America group pageants. Carmack is a former Miss California Outstanding Teen.

When the 49ers asked Carmack if she knew of anyone from Santa Clara who sang "The Star Spangled Banner," she immediately thought of Bowling. She put the 49ers in touch with her friend, and the front office reviewed Bowling's YouTube performances singing the national anthem for the Sharks. They liked what they saw and the rest is history.

Bowling, whose family home is near Levi's Stadium, has been singing the "Star Spangled Banner" at the Shark Tank about five times a year for the past six seasons. Boyfriend Gialdini, a San Jose State University student, works at the Sharks' practice rink and coaches the Junior Sharks hockey team.

Bowling has always enjoyed singing and said her parents are both good singers. She began developing her voice while performing with Children's Musical Theater San Jose. She participated in the program until entering Santa Clara High School.

Bowling first performed the national anthem in public when she was in fifth grade. The DARE officer at her school asked her to sing it at the DARE program graduation.

Because of its vocal range of one octave and one fifth, "The Star Spangled Banner" is difficult.

"It's hard, but you have to find the right note to start on," Bowling said, "so I carry a pitch pipe so that I don't start out too high or too low."

The longtime 49ers fan said she loves the story behind the national anthem. It was first written as a poem by Francis Scott Key in 1814. Key had witnessed the defense of Fort McHenry on Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, as it was bombarded by British ships during the War of 1812. The stars and stripes were still standing after the "perilous fight."

Bowling also loves helping people. She holds down two jobs while going to CSUMB at night and on Fridays. "I like to keep busy," she said.

After doing an internship with Kindred Transitional Care and Rehabilitation-Pacific Coast Care Center in Salinas, she was hired as assistant to the director of social services. She also works as a nanny for a Monterey family that includes three children.

Bowling also did an additional internship, working at the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Project in Monterey.

On the music front, she recently did a YouTube performance of a country song to try to win a chance to sing with country artist Keith Urban. Bowling is among the 10 finalists in the contest offered by country radio station KRTY. Friday, she will find out if she made the top five.

The winner will be chosen by Urban's manager and will join the country artist on stage Sept. 6 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View.

As for singing at another 49ers home game, Bowling is hopeful she can do a repeat performance.

"It's hard with football because there are only 10 games at home," she said. "I hope so — maybe a regular-season home game."

Or maybe at the 2016 Super Bowl, which will be played at Levi's Stadium.